"BOOKS" BOLT

NZ Truth, Issue 580, 29 July 1916, Page 6

"BOOKS" BOLT

The "Demon" of the Chase

Dour Burg Humor

(From "Truth's" Dunedin rep).

From what happened m Dunedin the other day it would seem that two members of the "wool-broking" fraternity can do the half-mile m less than two minutes, which, by the way, is lowering a fair record. They put up a very fine sample of the sprinting art, keeping at the full half-mile as if it were only a straight hundred. The cause of the whole terrible "scoot" was a nasty beggar of a "demon." Apparently the "demon" was on the trail of a certain "book." and the course of his investigations took him along to the Terminus HoteL The "demon" did not get the individual he was looking for; he failed- to see. any sign of him, but, Instead, two other "books" "spotted" the ''demon," and they hurried from the bar as if the race train for Wmgatui was just leaving the station. They tore along for a time, and planting themselves m the middle of the street they turned round to see if the nasty "demon" showed up. They did not see him. The affair was * a turn-about burlesque — for^ the "demon" having gone out another way from the "pub," spotted them, and was just bearing down on their unprotected rearguard. Suddenly, however, one of the "books* glanced behind, and he experienced.

A MTLT) ELECTRIC SHOCK. His mate, on nrnminlTig the cause of the performance, took it up too. Just thon the "demon" got up on his toes and came along as fast as his rheumatics permitted. Buttoning their coats and pulling down their craniumcovers, the two "books" started off at the pace never before witnessed In the dour burg. "Truth's" rep. looked on at the time, and has to admit that be never saw anything like it m his natural. The "books'* knocked sparks out of the metal, and their eyes were so dilated that, m the vulgar vernacular, one could snare 'em with a strain rope.

The humor of the whole affair may be comprehended when It is .known that the "demon" was after the wrong men, but the latter, for some reason or other, were of tho strange opinion that they were "wanted." It is such little incidents, however, that go to make up the humors of life, and make existence worth living.